A trial of practical pharmacotherapy education using online role-play in Medical, Pharmaceutical and Dental education

Abstract

Active learning for practical pharmacotherapy education through pharmacology role-play was conducted at twenty medical schools, one pharmacy school, two dentistry schools, and a nursing school from 2010 to 2020. This program used a Case & Communication based approach (C&C approach), where students studied communication cases between medical professionals and patients before practicing in class. This role-play program expanded the understanding of pharmacotherapy and patient feelings and improved student motivation. The role-play activities moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and a joint exercise between two of the universities allowed students to practice remote medical consultation simulations. This study discusses the outline, advantages, and future possibilities of the online pharmacology role-play program.